Man will be charged for care of six rescued dogs

Judge rules pit bulls will not go back to owner

Delray Beach Six pit bulls rescued from a Delray Beach backyard will not be returned to an owner who was ordered to pay for their care and who could face charges.

A judge determined in a court hearing on Monday that Palm Beach County's Animal Care and Control could keep custody of the dogs and set restitution at $3,500 to cover the county's costs of nursing the dogs back to health.

"One of those dogs [was] literally glued to a cage, in skeletal condition and unable to move, [stuck] in its own feces and urine," said Dianne Sauve, director of Animal Care and Control, "and only weighed 10 pounds. We're guesstimating this dog should have weighed 40 pounds."

Now that the dogs are nursed back to health, Animal Care and Control is looking for someone to give them a good home. The dogs, ages 1 to 3, are up for adoption and will require some medical maintenance for a skin condition.

The most severely injured of the lot was named Sunny because of her positive reaction to the sunlight once freed from her filth-filled cage.

Sunny already has received adoption offers from as far away as Canada. Animal Care and Control wants to find families who will keep Chopper, Chloe, Pepsi, Bella and Lucy as indoor pets.

"It's a miracle she [Sunny] survived," said Sgt. Suzy Dannelevitz of Animal Care and Control, "She had a will to live."

The owner, Jeremy Brinson, 29, did not show up at Monday's court hearing. Police have handed the case to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office to determine what criminal charges Brinson may face.

Acting on neighbors' complaints, officers with Delray Beach Police and Animal Care and Control visited Brinson's home in the 300 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue on Aug. 12.

Identifying himself as Shawn Davis, he told the officers he had four dogs tied up in his backyard, according to the incident report. However, they found one male and five females, two of which were in very poor health.

Brinson claimed two of the dogs belonged to friend Ivan Carter, but Carter said in court that he gave Brinson the dogs months ago.

According to the case file, the other dogs were either tied up on short tethers out of reach of water bowls in the hot sun or kept in dog houses that were more sauna than shady shelter.

One dog was found in a plastic kennel crate with the cage door up against the concrete wall of the house, restricting ventilation on a sweltering day.

The lone male had significant scarring on its head and front legs and a cut ear.

"This is definitely one of the most severe cases that I've ever seen of animal neglect," said Dannelevitz.

Animal cruelty penalties in Florida range from a $2,500 fine for a misdemeanor to 5 years in prison for a third-degree felony.

"I've seen people charged for less," Dannelevitz said.

Brinson could not be reached for comment on Tuesday despite a visit to his home and two phone calls.

According to state records, Brinson has been arrested more than 30 times in Florida.

Anyone interested in adopting one of the dogs can e-mail pbcacc@pbcgov.org or call 561-233-1200.